1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector having a waterproof structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as the connector of this type, there has been proposed such a connector as shown, for example, in FIGS. 5, 6 (a) and 6 (b) (Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. Hei. 4-101382).
In this connector, a terminal 5 with a cable 3 clamped therein is received in a housing 1. The terminal 5 is inserted into the housing 1 from its insertion opening 7. A flexible lance 9 is provided in the inside of the housing 1 as a terminal lock portion for locking the terminal 5. Therefore, the terminal 5 is engaged with the flexible lance 9 so as to be locked. Lock pawls 11 are provided, as fixing lock portions, so as to project from an outer surface of an end portion of the insertion opening 7 of the housing 1. The insertion opening 7 of the housing 1 is sealed with a seal member 13 formed of an elastic body such as rubber so as to be waterproofed. The seal member 13 is tightly fitted onto the cable 3 at the terminal 5 side of the cable 3, and a front end (in FIG. 6 (a)) of the seal member 13 is fixedly clamped with the cable 3 in a cable clamping portion 15 of the terminal 5. An outer peripheral surface of the seal member 13, on the other hand, is tightly fitted onto an inner peripheral surface of the insertion opening 7. A reinforcing portion 19 of an inserting member 17 is inserted into the inside of the seal member 13 (in FIG. 6 (b)) to increase the rigidity of the seal member 13. In the foregoing configuration, the waterproof function of the seal member 13 and the insertion workability of the seal member 13 into the insertion opening 7 are made improved. Lock engagement portions 21 are provided on the insertion member 17 so as to engage with the lock pawls 11. Consequently, the seal member 13 is accurately positioned by the engagement of the lock engagement portions 21 with the lock pawls 11 to thereby further improve the waterproof function.
In such a structure, however, the position of engagement of the flexible lance 9 with the terminal 5 and the position of engagement of the lock engagement portions 21 with the lock pawls 11 are determined univocally, while the insertion member 17 is assembled in the seal member 13 in advance and the seal member 13 with the insertion member 17 is fixedly clamped together with the cable 3 in the cable clamping portion 15 as shown in FIG. 5. Accordingly, the lock engagement portions 21 should be accurately positioned (particularly, in the direction of rotation) when the seal member 13 is clamped by the cable clamping potion 15, and there is a possibility that the assembling work of the seal member 13 in the terminal 5 becomes troublesome.
Further, there is a possibility that the lock engagement portions 21 are displaced in the rotational direction with respect to the terminal 5 so that it becomes difficult to attach the terminal 5, if the seal member 13 is clamped in the cable clamping portion 15 without performing accurate positioning.